Day 400 seems a great day to take the next big step in my recovery journey???!

Well if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. 🏋🏻‍♀️🤸🏻‍♂️🤼‍♀️⛹🏻‍♀️🏊🏼‍♀️🤽🏼‍♀️🚣🏽‍♀️🏄🏼‍♀️🚴🏼‍♀️

So yeah I have decided to join Mr Sporty Spice in his early morning gym classes……. I mean……come on…….. check me???? The sloth goes to the gym?!? Will the real Julie Avery please stand up????

I decided last week that I am ready to face the challenge head on. Enough is enough. I feel ok until I see a photo of myself and I realise how big my weight gain has actually been. I’m no longer prepared to dress in baggy clothes as I’m uncomfortable showing my body. Then seeing it in a photo when I thought it was covered up?!?!?!

I have felt fat my whole life. There are so many photos I look at and think how bad I felt at the time. The only time I felt good is when I was dieting. I was taking control.

So I have joined the Fit Body Farm near Kilmaurs and am taking part in their 6 week challenge. The aim is to start on track to a healthier life. This is not a diet but a way of life. 3 workouts a week…… at 6am which is horrifying but makes complete sense at the same time. I prefer to get up early and get my exercise done for the day and I can go and have a shower before I head to work.

I can honestly say that this is meant to be. I am ready for this.

Fit Body Farm is not your average gym…. it’s classes where you are given exercises to do that involve weight, heavy ropes, sleds with weighted bags on them… lots of weird and wonderful stuff.

All the work is done outside just now. (No photos…..!) With masks on to meet up with everyone and all equipment brought out of the gym to be cleaned on return.

Not gonna lie…. the workout was amazing but hard and I did actually feel dizzy and sick half way through. I had to lie down on the ground with my legs up on a step…. he said I’m not the first and I certainly won’t be the last. 🤔🤦🏻‍♀️😆

I only managed 7 out of the 8 reps we did of this as I lay down in the third or fourth!

We had a chat with Gavin Hogarth the owner after the session and I actually cried (ok I know, why would anyone be shocked at this?!?) when I told him that this is the next step in my journey and everything is falling into place to allow me to spend time working on my health and fitness.

I just need to unzip this protective fat suit I’ve been wearing and step back out.

If you achieve the 6 week challenge targets set (or he can see that you really bust a gut to try) then you get your money back or towards any future membership. The theory being that you get the bug and want to keep going. Obviously.

We got home at 8am, had coffee, listened to the promotional videos, filled out all the questionnaires and paperwork AND I’ve done an online food shop with information from the Fit Body Farm recipes…. PLANNING MY MEALS?!? Whatever next?!?!?!?

I can honestly say that I am soooooooo chuffed with myself right now and I never say that. This is a huge step for me and I am honestly excited to take it. I was even excited taking the before photos as I know I will never look that size again. I haven’t felt hungry at all today because my head is finally in the zone. After all these years of talking about it and realising I was emotionally eating. Trying to stop and never managing it. Deep breath and move on.

Today is Bank Holiday Monday so I’m not working at Tartan Campers today but I did have some dog behavioural calls to make.

Had a few hours in the bedroom office and then came downstairs to our bedroom and have swapped all the clothes around in the wardrobes. Since we moved the room around Craig was always at my side getting his stuff…. can’t be having that now!

I’ve got my feet up and think I’m done for the day. It’s been torrential rain this afternoon which is our first consistent rain in over a month. Typical for a Bank Holidau Monday to be fair. However, the garden looks happier already. It just needed some water.

I also called the COVID-19 vaccination helpline today as so many people in my age group have had their jab and I haven’t. Just wanted to check that I’ve not been missed. They told me I’m booked in for 26th May at 9.05am! Great news!

I also read that there’s a chance we may not need to social distance for too much longer. Is it really possible that we might be getting back to normal soon? I hope so but will all the life lessons we have learned.

People are important. Family, friends and health are all we need. And hugs…. we definitely need hugs again.

Stay safe everyone ⛹🏻‍♀️🚴🏼‍♀️🤽🏼‍♀️